Scams by how they reach you
Text message scams
Scams that arrive as a text: fake toll bills, delivery notices, bank alerts, wrong-number openers and job offers. If a text asks you to click, pay or reply, start here.
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5 scams in this category
- The unpaid toll text scamThe unpaid toll text scam is a text message claiming you owe a small toll balance and must pay through a link today to avoid a late fee; the link leads to a fake toll-agency page that takes your card number and personal details.
- The package delivery text scamThe package delivery text scam is a text claiming a package could not be delivered because of a missing address detail or a small redelivery fee, with a link to a fake carrier page that collects your card number and personal details.
- The bank fraud department scamThe bank fraud department scam is a call or text that appears to come from your bank's fraud team, warning of a suspicious charge and then walking you through "securing" your money by reading them a code, moving funds to a "safe account," or sending yourself a Zelle payment that actually goes to the scammer.
- The Amazon impersonation scamThe Amazon impersonation scam is a call, text or email about a large order you did not place, a locked account or a Prime renewal, designed to get you to call a number or click a link where a fake agent takes your login, your card, or remote control of your device.
- The IRS impersonation scamThe IRS impersonation scam is a call, text or email from someone claiming to be the IRS, demanding immediate payment of back taxes by gift card, wire or crypto under threat of arrest, or offering a refund you can claim by clicking a link and entering your Social Security number and bank details.